Summer is in full effect!! Vacations have been made, weekend visits to the Bay Area are planned, summer birthday’s to celebrate, and afternoons at the pool!!!! When we’re my family and I are not always on the go, there are streaks of days when we’re at home, avoiding the crazy three digit heat. Being locked up inside, gives up the options of toys, reading, coloring books, play-doh, crafts, computer time, tv and video games. BUT let’s face it, they’re mainly on screens. As much as I’d like to limit screen time during the summer, it’s best that I creak up their day with time frames of classic games. The “original,” games before the iPad apps.

Last summer, I scored this beautiful wooden glass case cabinet which had future plans for me to repaint. BUT, it ended up sitting in my garage for a couple months. Life gets in way sometimes you know (Basketball season, field trips, weddings, and oh, the stinking holidays.) I’ve finally managed to get my Craigslist purchase out of the garage, and just bring it in my home! So without further ado, I’d like to share my new home furniture piece that holds our favorite family games!!

One thing that I love doing during the summer is Craigslist-ing!!! With an open schedule in-sync with the boys summer vacation, I too — am on summer vacation (I work under the same school district FYI) so Craigslist and letgo, have been my guilty pleasures. From avoiding any Netflix and any binge watching, I chose to search around these digital penny-saver platforms to find the next piece for my home!

I scored this fantastic wooden glass case cabinet from a nearby city in Sacramento. My original thoughts were to flip it, but I’ve grown to love the look, as it matches our stair banister, and kitchen cabinets. The original knobs have these cute dainty flowers, with gold lining, and the for glass panels on each door reminds us what’s inside.

After collecting so many games from the classics, board games, card games, brain games and magic trick sets, over the years of birthdays and holidays, we’ve definietly grown a very large collection. It was always stored in random places from my sons closet, under the coffee table, and in a zippered closure fabric storage bin from the Container Store. | Container Store – Storage Box REISENTHEL |

Placing all our family board games in an accessible place, keeping them seen, and tidy, is a win, win in my house. Oh, and did I also forget to mention…..The cabinet was only $60! #Boom #MicDrop

After 5 days of working, my Friday’s usually are made up of a “quick,” stop to my local thrift store. When I say quick, I mean I have about an hour and half to myself between getting off work, and picking up my kindergartener from school. Last Friday, I decided to check out a Goodwill in West Sacramento. This location was a little bit in the “hood,” but having a mod podge of retailers and restaurants next door such as a Mexican taqueria, an ‘I Love Teriyaki,’ spot, and the DollarTree, I felt, just a tad — safe.

As I walked into the thrift store, I knew the exact items I was looking for. Brass, vases, candlesticks. Seriously, thats all I look for. Candlesticks have definitely been an obsession of mine for the past couple of months, and vases have just started to love due to the fact of Spring, and having fresh florals in the home as decorative piece is always nice.

I was able to score an IKEA vase called the SOCKERART (Retailing at $9.99), and purchased it for $3.19!!!

I also got a cool vintage syrup dispenser for $0.69!! It was mission the lid, but I really liked the clear vintage look, along with the size, approximately being 4″ tall.

After I had rinsed all my kitchenware, I took a moment in researching some info on my tiny syrup dispenser. It had so happen that my nice vintage cut glass creamer or syrup dispenser was from the early 1900’s, and can run for about $25. (WHAAAH?) Now, of course, you’d think: “Tiffany, why aren’t you reselling these pieces?” See, if I wanted to make a profit out of my finds, I honestly, would have already done it. But……My focus are on my blog, and making my own personal brand (through TiffanysTidings.)

One more item I scored at the thrift store was a brand new unopened Dixit board game. I so excited when I spotted Dixit. To sum it fairly quickly, it’s the visual version of Apples To Apples. This card game was introduced to my family as a gift from my sister-in-law. With cards with pictures, you shape the stories it tells…. Dixit is perfect for adults, children, family and friends. Anyone with whom you share a love for stories.

I got the board game for $4.19! And Amazon has it for $24.97!!! (Heeyoo!!)

After my awesome scores from Friday, I ended up finding some down time on a Sunday afternoon. Leaving the husband and kids behind at home, mommy was able to get some THRIFT time. I went to a different Goodwill in Sacramento, which happens to be my go-to thrift store. Here is where I landed the motherload!!!

I scored more candle sticks, gold picture frames, a cool UrbanOutfitters inspired (vintage) mug for $0.24, and a great condition LIFE board game!!! The family and I have been really into board games/card games lately, so any way purchasing them at a discounted price helps, and checking the thrift store for board games is THUMBS UP by this mama!!

If you’re a fan of thrifting and enjoy my thrift store hauls, be sure to check out my THRIFTING Page of my blog! It’s the one place of my blog where all my thrift store posts are at!!

Lately, the family and I have been into family card games. UNO has been our main, as the boys carry it around in the car incase mommy and daddy want to enjoy an afternoon coffee in Midtown, and the boys have something to play with together.

Another card game my husband and I love is Monopoly DEAL. Monopoly Deal game is the card version of the classic Monopoly game Collect sets of properties with different colors!

Earn and swap properties and charge other players rent

Steal properties or demand money from other players when you get the right Action card

Ages 8 and up, For 2 to 5 players

Monopoly DEAL game is definitely, the quick and easy version of the Monopoly, as you’re able to still platy the game without the board, take anywhere, and also play the game within 10-20minutes! Something Monopoly could never be played at. (Monopoly, for us usually takes us up to 2hours to play!!)

We’ve always had UNO, but what got the kids obsessing about it was the other weekend, as we met up with friends at a local brewery here in Sac, and they had brought UNO to play with the kids. After that, the kids have been playing every time after dinner, and all throughout the weekends!!

If you’re looking for an inexpensive gift idea, UNO or any family friendly card game is the way to go! Over my 10 years being a parent, some of my favorite gifts given to my boys have been board games!! With young children ages 5-6 who can fully comprehend a games like UNO, their little hands may not be able to hold 7 cards, so a cool nifty device I’ve discovered is The Original Little Hands Card Holder!

Make playing card games easier than ever for your little one!! Put as many cards as you can between the plastic paddles and before you know it, you’ll be playing like a pro!

The Original Little Hands Card Holder can be purchased at the following places for $3!!

My youngest son had started playing card games but was having difficulty holding all of their cards in his hands. He had some difficulty not dropping cards from his hands when playing card games that gave them many cards to hold at once. So of course, this would cause the other players (his older brother) to peak at the cards dropped or for my youngest son to miss a certain cards in his hand.

I saw these little hands card holders at WalMart and thought they were the perfect solution for my kids card games. It has made it a lot easier for my kindergartener to hold all of his cards, not drop any cards, and no peaking at others cards!!!

What card games do you play with your little ones? Comment below, and let me know if you end up purchasing the little card holder for your young ones!

Meet Tiffany

Bay Area raised Gemini, trying to juggle the life as a stay-at-home mom, a designer, DIY'er, and creative entrepreneur. I find it all challenging, inspiring, discouraging, hopeful, difficult, and wonderful all at the same time!
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